


At Ease

by Wandering_Letters



Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gentle Kissing, Romance, Tender Sex, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:55:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23881150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wandering_Letters/pseuds/Wandering_Letters
Summary: Cloud decides to be selfless, if even for a night or two.Three separate one shots, two characters we all love and one beloved pairing!Takes place after a certain cutscene in Final Fantasy VII Remake as well as a couple of other points in time. Contains spoilers for the game.Altered version on fanfiction dot net, but this is the unaltered version for safety.
Relationships: Cloud Strife/Tifa, Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 19
Kudos: 115





	1. Apologetic

**(A/N): Well, can't believe I'm saying this but Square? You made me the happiest man alive. This is a special time for me, because I remember that my first ever fanfic was a Final Fantasy VII fanfic and also, Tifa Lockhart was actually my very first video game crush. Yes, I know back then she was just a bunch of pixels but I guess it was mainly because she reminded me a lot of a childhood friend I had who served a similar role that she does to Cloud.**

**Anyway, to celebrate the release of Final Fantasy VII Remake, I came up with this little idea. I wrote a story called For Better Or Worse quite some time ago and I believe I promised to deliver on a lemon. As you guys can probably tell, I'm not the most consistent writer out there but CloTi is probably one of my all time favorite pairings that transcends basically all of the other ones. I haven't gotten to play the entire game to the end but sadly, my YouTube feed spoiled the hell out of the game for me. Still, I came up with this and I hope you guys like it. If you guys want a lemon in this one, let me know in the reviews and I'll make it happen. Otherwise, you can treat this as a cute little one shot.**

**For reference, this contains SPOILERS. I know I warned you all in the summary but I'm putting it here in big bold caps for you to see it clearly. Granted, I won't be spoiling too much, mostly just referencing a scene in the game but that's about it. This takes place after the end of a certain cutscene in a sort of intermission, as the title of this story suggests. If you guys didn't get the cutscene I'm referring to, go ahead and replay the game but this time, choose Tifa in all of or most of the choices (I know there's some people who ship Cloud with Aerith and though it's cute, CloTi is gonna be my OTP).**

**Enjoy my friends! And I hope everyone's staying safe with the COVID-19 pandemic. I wish I could say I'm doing fine but life's getting pretty tough. Still, here's my attempt at helping make your day and if you enjoyed this story, PLEASE, let me know. Nothing makes me happier than knowing my readers are enjoying my content.**

**Cloud might be a little bit talkative here, but cut me some slack; it's pretty hard to let our favorite SOLDIER do much with just his eyes at this point.**

**Let's get to it!**

* * *

**At Ease**

**~ o ~**

_When someone loves you, the way they talk about you is different._

_You feel safe and comfortable_

_-_ _Jess C Scott, The Intern_

**~ o ~**

"Tifa?"  
"I'm in here Cloud."

The door opened softly and much to her surprise, the SOLDIER entered the room.

"...Still can't sleep?"

She sighed softly and shook her head.

"...Still having a lot of trouble." she replied.  
"...Same here."

She scooted over on the bed she was offered by Elmyra and again surprising her, Cloud took a seat next to her... after several seconds of hesitation. She smiled to herself, noting how much more open he was being compared to the last few weeks. Even though their journey had just begun... they had already been through a tremendous amount. Knowing full well that everything they knew was destroyed as well as the challenges they had yet to face, Tifa Lockhart couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat. She had done her best to remain positive, considering that Cloud was usually so stoic that it was difficult to get a good opinion out of him... but even her patience and optimism had its limit.

However, she wondered why he came into the room, because it wasn't at all like the spiky haired mercenary to empathize this much. In fact, she couldn't remember a time when Cloud seemed to feel this much since they were children.

"What's on your mind Cloud?" she asked, breaking the silence.

The SOLDIER turned to her, and it was only then that she realized that he had put his sword down. She was so used to seeing him carry it around that to see him without it struck her as odd. He was quiet for a few more moments until he closed his eyes and sighed softly.

"I... wanted to apologize. For being so cold to you." he said.

She shook her head and laughed softly.

"Please? You think you can get rid of me that easily?" she teased.

He turned to her, his mako eyes gazing directly into hers and she couldn't help but turn completely silent. He was serious... very serious. She knew that it would be a cold day in hell before he ever lifted a hand to hurt her, and it was only then that she realized that he likely felt guilty for holding her so tightly. Then again, she knew that he was practically superhuman with his strength, so she should've known better than to push him to such an emotional state. She knew he never meant any harm, and he likely had trouble processing all of what she said or perhaps, everything hit him all at once.

"...Can you forgive me Tifa?"

His words were gentle, and his voice had an unusual amount of... vulnerability. She immediately nodded and smiled.

"Water under the bridge. And don't think that you can push me away... we've been friends for all this time haven't we?" she asked.

He nodded slowly.

"...Yeah. Friends."

She heard a tinge of... dissatisfaction in his voice and it took her a moment to realize that he was being rather... empathetic.

"Cloud? What's wrong? It's... sort of not like you to be... well..."

She scratched the back of her head and he immediately snapped out of his own world before looking back at her. He was again silent for a few moments, but he cleared his throat.

"I... guess I just want to show you that I meant what I said."  
"What're you talking about?"

His eyes narrowed and he sighed softly.

"I... wasn't there for you. Not for a long time. I'm just now getting used to having you around all the time again and well... spending all this time with you made me realize a few things."

This was the most he had ever spoken, and Tifa couldn't help but pull her legs up onto the bed and stare at him with great interest.

"What do you mean?"  
"I... was terrified. When you made that reckless jump. I... didn't mean to sound so angry."

She chuckled softly, remembering the close call they had at the tower with Reno and Rude when he managed to catch her before she fell off the stairs.

"Oh? That? Please... we've been through worse than that."  
"...Don't scare me like that again... _please_?"

The tinge of that final word shook the bartender to her core, and she couldn't help but feel a reckless wave of guilt flow through her body as she nodded.

"I'll do my best... but Cloud. You know that I'm not going to leave you. I want to help." she replied.  
"...I know. And I know you're more than capable. You've proven as much during all this time... just don't be so reckless. Okay?"

She smiled.

"Only if you promise to do the same. Don't think I forgot what you did with that train." she replied as a matter of factly.  
"I'm _**much**_ more durable than you. That doesn't-"  
" **Promise me**."

The look of deep concern on her face disarmed any reply he tried to think of, as it was rare for Tifa to look so incredibly hurt and worried. Even though she knew he was strong and could take a beating, it was her instinct to want to prevent him from putting himself in danger. To prevent him from ending up like everything they lost thus far on their journey...

The mercenary nodded slowly after several seconds of thought as he let out a heavy breath.

"...Back to what I was saying. I... this is so difficult to say."

He closed his eyes and turned away, only to feel Tifa's gloveless hand on the back of his gloved one. He looked back to see that she had scooted closer to him and was looking at him with encouraging eyes.

"I'm not going to judge you... you know that don't you?"

He once again let out a heavy breath, gathering his rapid thoughts into a coherent sentence.

"...When I decided to rescue you at Don Corneo... I didn't really care what it took."

She laughed inwardly, remembering Cloud dressed up as a woman and how convincing he looked but knew that if she laughed now, she might break his already faltering confidence.

"The thought of you in danger... it makes me spring into action. It's different when it comes to you Tifa... I don't think anyone brings out this side of me."

She blushed profusely and she was thankful that he was looking away, else he might've noticed the undoubtedly crimson shade in her cheeks.

"...I guess what I'm trying to say... is that I'm doing my best to live up to my promise." he explained.

Her heart skipped a beat, and it was then that she realized that he finally recalled that day when they were kids.

"...Is this what this is all about? Your promise?" she asked.

He shook his head, though he made an affirmative grunt simultaneously.

"...I'm no good with this stuff... but I guess I'll just be honest as I've always been with you."

He looked at her, with a surprisingly relaxed face.

"...I'll be there for you from now on. I'll protect you Tifa... so you can count on me. Okay?"

The bartender was silent for a few seconds and before he could open his mouth to ask if something was wrong, he felt her weight crash into him and a few moments later, the familiar warmth he had felt a mere hour earlier. She had grabbed him in a firm, yet clearly affectionate embrace.

"...You don't have to be a supersoldier to save me Cloud... you've done it for longer than you'll ever realize."

He couldn't help but feel warm on the inside with her honest words. For as long as he had known her, Tifa Lockhart was always a woman who spoke what was on her heart. Though she didn't always convey things clearly with her words, her actions was what truly spoke to him.

"...I'm really glad you came back Cloud. Even though it took a long time." she whispered.

He slowly allowed his hands to encircle her back and he nodded into her shoulder.

"Sorry for the wait."  
"It's okay. I know you were working on things."

He smiled softly to himself, almost perfectly envisioning the look on her face. He let her go, but she moved back and looked into his eyes.

_"...Those eyes of hers. They haven't changed since we were kids."_

The gentle smile she had on her face... he couldn't help but feel more at ease. Like things weren't as bad as they seemed so long as he could see that face of hers. He felt himself smile, and noticed the slight change in her composure upon realizing that he did so. She then looked away, her arms still not leaving his neck.

"So... I have a favor to ask." she began.  
"Does it involve fighting? Because it'll cost you extra."

She stifled a laugh.

"No... nothing like that. I... just don't want to sleep alone tonight. Do you mind?"

He could sense how nervous she was asking such a thing of him. However, he knew in his heart that he wanted to help... and if his presence was enough to help her sleep at ease, then he was going to do it. Cloud Strife was never a man who cared what others thought of him... and this was no exception.

"Sure. If it'll help you feel better."

She smiled and nodded as she turned back to the bed to make space. Cloud removed his gloves and after waiting patiently, joined her once more in the bed after dousing the light. He laid down and much to his surprise, she scooted closer to him.

"...Am I making you uncomfortable?"

He turned to face her... and it was only then that he realized that she was dressed in a deep blue nightgown. He hadn't seen her dressed in much else apart from her usual outfit and the beautiful dress she wore at Don Corneo's escapade. He nodded.

"Not at all. I'm just not someone who falls asleep easily." he explained.

She held one of his hands.

"You know what helps?"

He shook his head, only to flinch briefly upon seeing her scoot even closer, now resting her head on his chest.

"Cuddling... still comfortable?"

He couldn't help but smile at her boldness and he let out a deep breath before nodding against her head.

"...Very. This... was a good idea... how about you?"

She laughed softly to herself.

"At ease."


	2. Comforting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second one shot, with a bit of a sweeter ending than the previous one.
> 
> Everything is safe here, anyone can read

**At Ease**

**~ o ~**

_You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep_

_Because your reality is finally better than your dreams._

_\- Dr. Seus_

**~ o ~**

**Three Nights Later**

"Hey Cloud?"

The soldier snapped from his gaze at the wall in front of him to see that Tifa had entered the room. He nodded.

"Is everyone else okay?" he asked.

The bartender nodded.

"Barrett's exhausted... we did some good work today." she replied.  
"That's good. I'd have felt bad if we kept staying here without at least pitching in." he explained.

She joined him, sitting on the bed across from his chair as she let out a deep sigh.

"...Thanks again for the save earlier." she said.  
"You paid me back several times during the day. No need to thank me." he replied.

She laughed softly and shrugged.

"Just being polite. No need to be a brick wall silly." she teased.

For the briefest of moments, Cloud allowed a smile to grace his face as he got to his feet.

"...Guessing it's still too hard for you to sleep?" he asked.  
"...I dreamed about Jessie last night." she whispered.

Cloud immediately felt his heart wrench and upon seeing Tifa's eyes beginning to well, he was immediately at her side, something he had gotten used to doing the past three nights. Since the night they decided to start sleeping together, Tifa had been plagued with nightmares of their former home and the friends they've lost. He knew she was particularly close to Jessie, who was one of her closest friends, especially during the time he was gone as a mercenary. He hated seeing her cry, but he knew that it was a necessary process for her to heal, as his mother had explained to him before.

_"If a girl has a lot on her mind... and she means a lot to you. Let her vent. Listen to her and console her. Don't try to give her advice... just let her cry on your shoulder."_

He sat next to her and offered his hand after a few moments of hesitation. She responded almost immediately, holding it with one hand and allowing her head to rest on his shoulder as she softly sobbed.

"...She didn't deserve what happened to her. She shouldn't have had to make that sacrifice... but we were-"  
"Jessie did what she thought was best for all of us to survive. I know she had no regrets in what she did. Neither should you."

Even though his words sounded cold on paper, Tifa couldn't help but feel calmer as Cloud had managed to remove the icyness with his smooth and surprisingly encouraging voice.

"She gave everything to save us, just as she wanted when she joined AVALANCHE. I'm sure she's looking at us now smiling that we've come this far." he continued.

She nodded meekly against his shoulder as his hand tightened around her hand.

"...I'm here for you. Alright?"  
"...Thank you Cloud."

She took several moments of silence to remember Jessie as Cloud scooted even closer, enough to rest his head on hers as he gently stroked her hand with his thumb. She could tell that he still had no idea what he was doing, but he was trying... and that was more than enough for her. Seeking more comfort, she lifted her head and bit her lower lip in hesitation.

_"...Would he be willing to..."_

He seemed to notice her movement as he looked down.

"What's wrong?" he asked.  
"...It's childish and stupid. Don't worry about it." she replied.  
"Let me be the judge of that. Tell me." he insisted.

Again, he was never truly assertive, maintaining a remarkably gentle tone with just enough firmness to let her know that he wasn't taking no for an answer. She let out a sharp breath, disarmed by the fact that she couldn't hide her request any longer.

"Umm... well... I was wondering if you could... well..."  
"I'm not going to judge you Tifa. You know that. You can be honest with me."

Immediately, she felt a huge rush of heat flow through her as she cleared her throat. It took her another few seconds to gather the courage to speak up, but she remembered all of the times she missed her friend. How many times she wished she could've gone with him on his adventures instead of sitting helplessly in Nibelheim as life flew by. How desperately she wanted to be at his side and help him overcome any and all of his problems.

_"I'm... not scared of this. I just... don't want to scare him away. He's been sleeping next to me for the past three nights and I'm grateful for that... but I'm so sad that I feel like his presence just isn't enough... I need..."_

"...I want you to hold me..." she whispered.  
"Huh?"

She almost stifled a laugh at the soldier's reaction but she nodded.

"...You remember what you told me when we were kids? When you fell on your knee and your mom patched you up?" she asked.

He nodded slowly, the memories coming back slowly but surely.

"She... held me and hushed me to sleep that night." he replied.

She again, bit her lip and sighed.

"Forget it... it's stupid like I said. Let's just- whoa!"

Much to her shock, he lifted her almost effortlessly into his lap and gazed into her eyes. She couldn't hide the blush in her cheeks as his mako blue eyes continued to stare at her. He didn't look the least bit nervous... but she could see the concern washed over his almost stoic face. It was those eyes of his... a skill she had to master since she met him again and even to an extent when they were children, was reading his eyes. Of any of the crew, Tifa knew that she had to be able to tell what Cloud was feeling at a mere glance... and she had never seen such concern before. If she didn't know better, she'd have believed that one of his superpowers was the ability to read minds as he was able to put two and two together so quickly, it was as if he were reading her like a book.

She could feel his hands, which she believed were quite callused at first... gently holding onto her waist. It amazed her as to how he could fight so fiercely, wielding that giant Buster Sword but at the same time, be so gentle that he didn't cause her even the slightest discomfort. From the first night he held her and how apologetic he was for hurting her with that hug on the hillside, she knew that he was being extra careful because he didn't want to scare her away. She smiled, despite how red her face was and sighed.

"...Sometimes I forget you leap before you think." she giggled.  
"Tifa... if this makes you feel uncomfortable-"

She immediately silenced him by throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck.

"How can I be uncomfortable when you're being so nice to me... come on dummy. Think about it." she laughed.

He knew she was deflecting her own discomfort with her teasing, something he had learned about her mere days after seeing her at the bar again from the initial mission. Still, he knew that there was no sense in breaking her resolve so he did the only thing he could think of: embrace her. She felt her heart rate double, but she eased into the hold, her hands meekly sliding down to his chest as she took slow deep breaths in an effort to prevent her heart from bursting through her chest. They remained in a comfortable silence for almost a minute until Cloud spoke up.

"Feeling better?" he asked.  
"...There's one more thing. And... it might be a little selfish."

He rolled his eyes inwardly and leaned away, allowing her to see his face.

"What is it?" he asked.  
"I want you to look away from me for a moment. I'll tell you when to turn back." she replied.  
"...Tifa." he groaned softly.  
" _Please_ Cloud."

He could sense the vulnerability in her voice and it was then that he knew how much it meant to her if he honored her request. He took a deep breath and did as she asked, turning his head entirely away from her and ensuring his eyes were fixated on something else, in this case the picture of Marlene sitting on the dresser.

"Tell me when." he said.  
"I will... just give me a moment."

He wondered what on Earth she could be doing considering she was still snuggled in his arms, but he didn't have to wait long before he heard her voice again.

"Okay. Turn back."

In his focus on maintaining sight away from her, he didn't notice that she had shifted upwards and by the time his face made half the journey, he was greeted with something soft on his cheek. He nearly flinched at the contact and after feeling warm breath against his face, he realized that Tifa had leaned up and blocked his path with her lips. Immediately, he felt his heart skip a beat and he couldn't help but look at her, dumbfounded. She broke the contact and laughed softly.

"Made you look."

His hand unconsciously went to his cheek but he couldn't help but smile slightly at her unfaltering gaze.

"You could've just done that whenever you wanted. I wouldn't have stopped you." he explained.  
"I'll keep that in mind for next time." she teased.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Ready to get some sleep now?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"I gave you a kiss. It's only fair that you return the favor."

Her voice was slightly nervous and her face was red, but he knew that she wasn't going to shy away. He understood how much more comfortable she had grown in his presence the past several nights. When they had fallen in the sewers and both Aerith and her grabbed hold of him, he couldn't help but admit that a part of him liked the attention.

_"...Guess Mom was right..."_

He knew that somewhere deep down... he had always felt something for her. He didn't want to leave Nibelheim because he didn't want to leave her alone... but here she was, years later... in his arms. Cloud's eyes narrowed and it took several seconds before Tifa broke the silence with a nervous laugh.

"...Sorry. I guess it was too much to ask. Let's get some sleep. We've got a long day tom-"  
"Tifa?"

She broke out of her sentence and looked up at him... only to feel him gently pull her closer and his lips meet her forehead. She nearly jumped out of her skin, but eased into the contact and relishing in the warmth that was now flowing through every orifice of her body. He broke the contact after several seconds and let out a breath.

"...Are we even?" he asked.

Feeling courage take hold of her and remembering what Aerith encouraged her to do:

_"Go. Follow your heart."_

She shook her head and gently placed her hands on Cloud's cheeks.

"What're you-"  
"Cloud... please stop talking."

He didn't even get to finish his next thought as Tifa pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss. Just as quickly as the contact was made, she broke it and looked down, blushing furiously.

"...I'm sorry. That was really selfish." she whispered.  
"...It wasn't. That was... _**nice**_."

She immediately sprang up to look at his face and before she could even register, he caught her back with a kiss of his own. It wasn't a perfect one... and she could tell that he had no experience in this department whatsoever but she understood why he was doing this.

_"He... wants me to be happy and comfortable... why... do I feel so..."_

Butterflies began to fly in swarms in her stomach and her hands seemed to lose their strength, sliding helplessly to his stomach as she accepted his affection. He gently placed one of his hands on her cheek and she couldn't help but meet it with one of her own, holding it to tell him that everything was fine. After several yearlong seconds, he broke away and smiled.

"...Bed time?" he asked.

She nodded.

"...You surprise me more and more everyday Mr. Soldier." she teased.  
"Part of the job description. But are you feeling better?"

She nodded once more and smiled.

"At ease."


	3. Till The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The full version of the one shot that contains the true extent of the love scene from the fanfiction version.

**(A/N): For those of you here from fanfiction, I hope this lives up to the quality I tried to maintain in the previous two one shots.**

**Terribly sorry for the delay as well; the file that contained the scene ended up being corrupted so I had to wing it and rewrite almost 4000 words.**

**I wanted to make sure it was as good as I could possibly make it.**

**For those native here to AO3, I do hope you enjoy this. I put a tremendous amount of effort into this and I certainly hope that the CloTi fanbase will accept my humble contribution!**

**If you like it, share it with your friends or check out some of my other stories and please, leave reviews!**

**Even if you're suggesting ideas for something or just giving me actual feedback, it's much appreciated and goes a LONG way!**

* * *

**Mused by Ellie Goulding's _Love Me Like You Do_**

* * *

**At Ease**

**~ o ~**

_Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength_

_While loving someone deeply gives you courage_

_\- Lao Tzu_

**~ o ~**

**Several Nights Later- A Hotel Outside Of Midgar**

"How is he feeling?" asked Tifa.  
"Spiky's a bit banged up still, but Aerith's workin' her magic." replied Barrett.

Tifa couldn't help but tremble at the thought of Cloud still being injured after a run in with some wild creatures out in the wilderness.

"...I should've been more careful. He wouldn't be-"  
"Come on now girl. You know he's not gonna let anything happen to ya. You can't blame yourself when none of us saw that huge bastard coming." mused Barrett.  
"He's right Tifa."

The bartender looked up to see that Aerith was smiling at her, her hand still hovering over Cloud's motionless body shining green with Cura materia.

"It wasn't anything serious that he suffered anyway. He'll just have to take it easy until morning." she explained.  
"But-"  
"No buts. Now stop worrying and keep an eye on him. Using that materia tired me out... so I'm going to bed." groaned the brunette.

Barrett chuckled heartily, his massive hand resting idly on his stomach.

"He's one tough bastard. Gotta give him credit. Don't know many guys who'd be willing to take a punch from a Behemoth." he said.

The bartender sighed deeply and shook her head as she took a seat next to the soldier's sleeping form.

"I'll see all of ya bright and early. We've got some more bounties to collect if we intend to get that RV to head further on without having to bust our asses walking." he said.  
"Agreed. We'll do better tomorrow. You should get some sleep too Tifa. I brought Cloud and you some dinner from downstairs. If he wakes up, make sure he eats. Okay?" said Aerith.  
"...Okay. Will do."

After placing an encouraging hand on Tifa's shoulder for a brief moment and giving her a bright smile, Aerith left the room with Barrett in tow. Sighing deeply, Tifa reluctantly made her way to the desk and picked up the tray Aerith spoke of just a moment ago. She placed it on the nightstand next to Cloud's bed before reaching for one of the plates, uncovering it to reveal...

 _"Wow. BBQ meats, breadsticks and a salad... Aerith sure knows me well."_ she thought to herself.

She reached for a piece of bread... only to pause upon seeing Cloud's chest rising from his soft breaths. She shook her head and set the plate down.

_"I'll wait for him to wake up... then I'll eat."_

It was the least she could do, after all it was mostly his efforts that allowed them to get the gil to stay at this hotel in the first place. However... she noticed that he was a little more distant.

Despite having gotten significantly closer, now to the point where neither of them sleep alone anymore, she noticed that he wasn't as affectionate as he was a week ago. She had wanted to speak to him about it... but Tifa Lockhart, much as her name implies, was not in the least good at expressing her inner emotions. It took her years to even admit to herself that most of the reason she joined AVALANCHE was to avenge the deaths of her friends and family at her home in Nibelheim... let alone come out and be honest with even Cloud, the man who mattered most to her.

She couldn't figure out the reasoning to Cloud's sudden distant nature, as nothing had really changed in the last week apart from them finally leaving Midgar. She knew she wanted to ask him about it... but she knew she had to be careful about what she asked him as it was just as easy to push Cloud away as it was to let him close.

"...I really wish I was better at this sort of thing... but I guess I'm just used to being the rock that people lean on." she whispered.

She took a gulp of the tea in the tray and let out a satisfied sigh before looking down at her hands.

 _"I might as well change and get ready for bed... in the event he doesn't wake up. I'll let him sleep alone tonight... he'd probably prefer the solitude for the_ night."

After taking one last look at the mercenary and placing a hand gently on his cheek, Tifa made her way to the shower, her sleepwear in hand.

**~ o ~**

_**"NO! TIFA!"** _

_I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and reached down to pick her up. Tears immediately began to fill my eyes as I looked at her motionless body._

_"Tifa... Tifa... wake up... please..."_

_She didn't respond and it was only then that I noticed that my hand began to feel wet and I looked at it to see... that it was now soaked with blood._

_"Good to see you... Cloud."_

_I turned around immediately upon hearing that voice... the voice that had been haunting me in my dreams for such a long time._

_"SHOW YOURSELF!" I shouted._

_I gently placed Tifa down and reached for my sword._

_"Well now... aren't you the courageous one?"_

_Cold steel suddenly pressed into my neck and I was helpless... as I felt a strong hand grab hold of my sword arm._

_"There's no escaping fate. No one can do that... even after all you've done, there is no stopping the inevitable. My victory... is only a matter of time."_

_I pulled the sword from my back, only to feel a boot collide with my back, sending me flying into the wall. I turned back, only to see a sword coming at me. I just barely managed to sidestep it, seeing it wedge itself into the concrete._

_"You'll never defeat me if you continue to be this weak Cloud... do you seriously think you're in any position to avenge your family at this rate?"  
"SHUT UP!"_

_I swung... only to strike air as I searched frantically for where my opponent disappeared to._

_"Your time will come soon... my reunion is at hand."  
"SEPHIROTH!"  
_

_His wicked laugh filled the air._

_"I'd pay attention to your beautiful friend... she's not long for this world after all."_

_My eyes fell back to Tifa, who had woken up but looked so weak... that she could fade away at any moment. I dropped my sword and ran to her side, only to see her crying._

_"I... I'm sorry Cloud..." she sobbed._

_Feeling my heart begin to shatter, I held her close to me and sobbed on her head._

_"No... you didn't do anything wrong Tifa... I wasn't strong enough... I should've-"  
"You've always been strong Cloud... I wanted to help you..."_

_I shook my head vigorously._

_"This... this wasn't supposed to happen... it should've been me. Not you... anyone but you..."  
"Cloud... I'm... so happy that I got to know you... that I got to be your friend..."  
"No... you're not going anywhere. I'm going to get you help... I-"  
"Kiss me..."_

_I flinched at her words for a brief moment and I looked down to see that she was smiling, her hand struggling to reach my cheek due to how weak she was._

_"Tifa..."  
"Please Cloud... just one more time..."_

_I leaned down to honor her request... only to see her hand fall limply to the ground._

**_"NO! TIFA!"_ **

**~ o ~**

_"Ahh... much better. I feel a lot more relaxed now."_

The warm shower did the bartender a lot of good as she made her way back towards the Cloud's room.

_"Maybe he's awake by now. I'm sure everyone else in the hotel's gone to sleep. Then again, we got the rooms at the top of the building so I'm sure we aren't disturbing anyone. The owner was pretty grateful after we took those monsters down..."_

She entered the room to see... that he had indeed awakened. Tifa was immediately at his side, offering him a smile.

"You're finally up sleepyhead. I was beginning to think you'd starve in your sleep."

She was sure that her joke would get him to chuckle, but she was immediately met by a firm embrace around her body. She knew immediately... that something was off.

"Cloud?... What's wrong?" she asked.

He was silent... and she was sure that she felt a sort of desperation in his grip. His breathing was frantic... and this may have been the first time she had ever seen the soldier seem so...

_"Terrified."_

She gently returned the embrace in an effort to calm him down.

"Hey... you can tell me what's wrong. But you need to eat first. Okay?" she said.

He nodded in response, but didn't let go of her.

"I'm not going anywhere Cloud... let's just eat. Then we can talk about what's going on... alright?"  
"Y... Yeah..."

She could sense the terror in his voice. A voice that she was so used to hearing sound confident, wise and encouraging. It shattered her heart to see him look so broken up. He reluctantly released her as she went to the desk. She lifted both their plates of food over to the bed and handed Cloud his as they ate in a very tense silence. Not once did the mercenary's mako blue eyes meet hers during the fifteen minutes they spent eating... and it was then that Tifa determined that he must've had a very bad dream to cause this behavior. She had noticed he was having nightmares for the past several days, but they were never bad enough to cause him to get like this. He would at least feel better if he held her during the night, or she could hush him to sleep with gentle kisses.

After finally finishing, Tifa placed her plate back into the tray... but Cloud was again motionless, staring at the sheets with his empty plate in hand. She approached him and gently took the plate from his hands, causing him to snap back to her in shock as if he didn't even notice her movement. After putting the plates into the sink, she rejoined him on the bed, holding his hands and giving him a questioning look.

"...You gonna tell me what's wrong?" she asked.

His eyes narrowed as he sighed.

"...I wish I could say it's only a dream... but it's beginning to feel like it's a lot more than just that." he began.  
"Is it the same one you've been having these past few days?" she asked.

He nodded.

"...It just keeps getting longer and longer." he continued.  
"It's Sephiroth... isn't it?"

He again nodded, but the look on his face only grew more grim.

"You mentioned something... a vision?"

He shook his head.

"I don't know what I truly saw... but when we got pulled into the simulation... there was something else. Something I didn't want to tell any of you about."

His voice sounding so terrified continued to shatter her heart as she held his hands and scooted closer.

"Tell me... it's tearing you apart." she whispered.

Her voice was incredibly gentle, almost fully disarming any protests the soldier had against her as he closed his eyes.

"...I saw you and Barrett die. After the meteor dropped... I don't think you two saw what came next. I'm not sure if it was a vision or some kind of glitch in the system that only I could see... but I know what I saw."

She felt her heart wrench upon hearing his words... and she could only imagine the mental torture a vision like that had on his dreams. It wasn't often that Cloud slept well. In fact, she knew it was only when they started sleeping together that he truly began to have restful sleep... but seeing her now?

_"...I probably keep reminding him of that vision... each and every time he looks at me."_

"...Was it Sephiroth? Did he kill us?"

He nodded slowly and let out a heavy breath.

"...Maybe I was in over my head when I agreed to let all of you come with me." he said.  
"Don't say that. We're a team." she retorted.  
"I don't want any of you to get hurt... not Aerith, not Barrett... and **especially** not you Tifa."

His voice reached an entirely new level of sincerity, and Tifa could've sworn she heard it crack upon mention of her name.

"...I need you to go back to Midgar Tifa. I... don't know if I'll be able to-"  
"Stop."

He shook his head.

"I can't... we already lost our home, our friends and family... I can't lose you-"  
"You're **not** going to lose me Cloud. Not now... not _ever_."

He looked up from the sheets to see that the bartender had shuffled closer, her reddish brown eyes gazing deeply into his.

"I'm not letting you fight that bastard on your own... we're a team. Barrett's not gonna back down and there's no way Aerith doesn't have a personal stake of her own in this too. You're stuck with us... whether you like it or not. Got it?" she said firmly.

He shook his head, feeling his resolve begin to crumble, until he felt one of her hands on his cheek.

"...We'll be your strength Cloud. Sephiroth may be stronger than anything we've ever faced before, but there's one thing that you have that he doesn't." she continued.

His eyes softened, almost questioning her answer with a mere glance as she smiled.

"He doesn't have friends."

Courage began to pour into the soldier's body and he couldn't help but let a small smile grace his face.

_"...I'm sure of it now. The reason I'm so scared of losing her... it's not just because she's my closest friend... it's **much** more than that."_

His hand unconsciously went to hers, catching her slightly off guard but never causing her eye contact to break.

"...And he doesn't have _**you**_." he said.

She felt herself begin to blush but she had grown comfortable in her feelings for her childhood friend. The last few weeks had only cemented what she felt for the blonde warrior since they were young... and being able to be close to him again was a dream come true.

"Tifa... if we're going to continue this hunt... you have to promise me something."  
"What is it?"

He gently moved her hand away from his cheek before grasping both of hers with his.

"If things get dangerous... if there's even a ghost of a chance that he will finish you off. You run. Don't even hesitate... you get out of there."  
"Cloud-"  
"Promise me... _**please Tifa**_."

She had never heard such vulnerability in his voice... and her heart couldn't help but wrench at the amount of fear present. However, she knew that there was no way she was going to leave him to face the SOLDIER turned monster alone.

"It won't ever get dangerous Cloud. Because we're going to take that bastard down... together. All of us." she said.

She scooted closer.

"You give me strength... you know?" she assured.

He shook his head as she smiled and raised one of his hands to touch her cheek.

"...Ever since that moment a few nights ago, I don't feel scared anymore Cloud. Sure... the future isn't certain but I don't feel afraid. Because I'm facing it with you... and I know that nothing out there will stop me from fighting at your side. So don't try to take everything on by yourself... you can count on me. All of us for that matter... Okay?"

He was silent, dumbfounded at her words as she moved even closer, only inches separating their bodies.

"...You know why you give me strength... don't you?" she asked.

He looked down and shook his head sharply, almost as if he were trying to psych himself up.

"I... love you."

She couldn't believe her ears, nor the fact that he spoke the very three words she was about to say next.

"W...W...What?"  
"You heard me."

She noticed that hope had renewed within his eyes and a gentle smile had taken the place of the worried look he had a few moments ago.

"...I love you Tifa... and it's because I love you... that I have the courage to keep fighting."

She began to sob in happiness as she buried her face into his chest, catching him in a deep embrace.

"I...I love you too Cloud... I know it's been obvious for a long time... and I'm a bumbling moron when it comes to my feelings... but I love you... _so **very**_ much." she sobbed.

Her hands grabbed fistfuls of his shirt as she tried to quell her now cascading emotions. There was so much she wanted to say to him... so much she wanted to let him know... but her heart ran several marathons every second and her mind was so happy to hear the three words she had longed to hear him say that she couldn't think of doing anything else but relish in the moment.

"I... was never sure how I was able to find the strength to survive this long after all we've been through... but now I've found a new source of it." she said.  
"...You have?"

She looked up at him, finally regaining control of her convulsing body.

"You. You loving me... gives me strength. A strength I've never had before... so if you weren't stuck with me before... you sure as hell are now." she said with a bright smile.

He nodded in agreement, now seeing no further point in trying to convince her to return home. He made the decision to tell her how he felt because he didn't know if he'd ever have the chance to again... and now, he couldn't be more glad that he did.

_"...There's **nothing** I wouldn't do for her."_

He cupped her cheek, only to see her reach up and close her eyes, stroking his hand and getting lost in the sheer amount of dopamine and oxytocin pumping through her body. He smiled and leaned closer.

"...Can I kiss you?" he whispered.

 _"...Some things never change with you Cloud... but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't one of the things I love most about you. You're... such a **dork**."_ she thought to herself with an inward giggle.

"Do you really think I'd stop you?" she teased.

He still hesitated for a moment, as if he didn't fully believe that this moment was happening but the bartender encouraged him by reopening her eyes and scooting closer, making herself comfortable in his lap. He didn't object in the slightest, having grown used to holding her close and her distinct scent magnified all the more by his enhanced senses and his now out in the open feelings.

He leaned closer but stopped short, still clearly afraid of what he was doing. He didn't want this to be the last time he'd get to hold her like this... to get to see her smile and to feel her lips on his.

"I'm not going to disappear Cloud... I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."

His eyes narrowed as she lifted his chin to face her.

"You don't want to be alone... _right_?"

He shook his head as she wrapped her arms around his head, mere centimetres keeping them apart.

"Then what're you waiting for? You have a woman in your arms and you're just sitting there like a statue... come on Cloud. You know how I feel about you... there's nothing you can do to push me away."

Her words continued to erode his fear and hesitation until finally, he gave into his feelings and met her in a tender kiss. She passionately accepted, allowing her body to meld with his as she pulled his hands up to her waist before securing her own in their previous position. The kiss quickly began to escalate, and Tifa couldn't help but giggle inwardly to herself.

_"He's only kissed me three times... but he's learning so fast. I'd never have known that his first one was only a few days ago... and I'm so happy that it was with me."_

His hands remained static, even though she could tell that he wanted to do more but he refused to do anything that she wasn't comfortable with. It was that selflessness, the same selflessness that she had seen since he was child... that did nothing but cement the fact that he had always been the one she wanted to be with.

_"...You don't need to be afraid Cloud. I've... been ready to be yours for a long time."_

She broke away briefly, biting her lower lip as she felt her hormones surge. She guided his hands to her stomach and took a deep breath.

"...I know it hasn't been long since we... well... got closer."  
"Tifa... are you-"

She lifted her sapphire nightgown over her head, revealing a black two piece set of underwear.

"But... I know for sure... that I want this to work." she whispered.  
"There's no rush Tifa... you don't have to-"  
"I _want_ to... we have no idea where this manhunt for Sephiroth will take us... and it's not like these feelings of mine are new." she explained.

His eyes stood still for a moment before he sat up, holding her lovingly in his arms as he smiled.

"...Beautiful."

Her heart skipped a beat, remembering when Cloud had said the same word when she made him her special drink that night at Seventh Heaven.

"...Let me know if you feel uncomfortable in any way Tifa. I don't want to hurt you... ever again."

She smiled and shook her head.

"I trust you."

He lowered her gently to the bed, ever so careful to not damage the work of art he held in his hands. She couldn't help but blush upon seeing his eyes take in the sight before him. She unconsciously lifted her hands as if to shield herself, but he gave her a encouraging stare, placing his hand on hers and shaking his head.

_"...Those eyes... those eyes... it's like he can see right through the facade I try to put up all the time..."_

"I've... never done this before." he whispered.

She bit her lip and somehow, felt her cheeks heat up even more.

"N-Neither have I..." she said.

He blinked, his mako eyes still continuing to admire her but never managing to reach the eager gaze of an aroused predator.

"...So I was your first kiss... and now I could be-"

She interrupted him with a nervous "Mhmm".

"...This is totally new to me." he said.

_"He's going to get so nervous that he might back away... I need to encourage him."_

She shook her head and wrapped her hands around his neck.

"Then let's discover this... _together_." she assured.  
"...Let me know if I'm hurting you... alright?"

She nodded as she pulled herself up and kissed his forehead.

"So... do you like what I'm wearing?" she asked.

Much to her surprise, his face reddened.

"...I guess you took what I said back in town pretty literally huh?"  
"You _did_ say something exotic... and this was the last set they had. I'm not really a fan of the one-pieces."  
"...Does everyone **really** prefer those?"

She laughed softly and nodded, feeling her anxiety loosen thanks to his hilarious innocence on the matter.

"Looks that way." replied.

He shook his head.

"This... really shows how in shape you are. You've always taken very good care of yourself."

It once again amazed her how he was able to stay calm and after thinking twice, she realized that he was always at his coolest when he was talking about her. She remembered a time when the party was eating dinner and three soldiers who helped them with the bounty for a personal stake started questioning his relationship with her. Though the bartender was sure that her companions had figured everything out by now, she wasn't able to give a concrete answer to them, until he answered with:

_"She's my best friend... and much more."_

She blushed again, now fully beginning to grasp how important she was to the mercenary, as he kissed her cheek.

"So I'm in great shape?" she chuckled.  
"The best I've ever seen."

Disarmed by his honesty, she couldn't even lift her hands to stop him from kissing her neck, instead resigning herself to taking in the new sensations. Neither of them were experienced lovers, but Tifa had an idea of a lot of things thanks to the stories Jessie would tell her back in the old days. She always talked about men who knew the exact places to kiss and touch to send a woman over the edge, or the feeling of being intimate with someone you truly love being all consuming. All of the stories came full circle as she began to let in the euphoria that his surprisingly skilled lips spurred on. She couldn't get over how incredibly careful he was, never overstepping his boundaries to seem like a hormonal teenager but never slow enough to let the heat die down. His hands ghosted over much of her exposed skin, pausing at occasional split second intervals as if to ask her if it was okay for him to touch that area.

She moaned softly, encouraging him to continue as it was now plain and obvious what effect he had on her. He had never heard sounds of pleasure aside from the ones in Madam M's establishment several weeks ago... and even though it sounded strange, he couldn't help but smile at the fact that he was the one causing her so much ecstasy. He stopped kissing her neck to look back into her eyes, only to see that her face had become completely flushed with red, while her pupils had dilated so much, they resembled dinner plates. He had learned several things from the brief time he spent with Madam M, something he definitely wasn't proud of but nevertheless, grateful for.

_**When a woman's pupils are dilated when she looks at you, it means she finds you very attractive.** _

_**The wider they are, the greater the attraction. When her face is red, it means you've slipped past her defense mechanisms.** _

_**Always do your best to make sure she is comfortable. Don't do anything she isn't fine with and you will quickly learn how to be a competent lover.** _

_**If you can make a woman look at you in that manner and cause her to feel so good that she moans, you're giving her unimaginable pleasure.** _

_**And if she happens to be your lover, it is the single greatest feeling you will ever be able to give her.** _

_**If she is panting and suddenly screams out, know that you have caused her to hit the apex of ecstasy.** _

_"Guess that lady had a few points... at least that expensive treatment actually taught me something useful."_

"C...Cloud..."

He snapped from his thoughts and looked at her... only to see that she was reaching for one of the straps of her bra.

"That... that felt... **really** good." she whispered.

She was still trying to catch her breath, as Cloud placed his hand on hers.

"If you need a moment I can-"

She shook her head, adamant at continuing as she lowered the strap.

"...No. K-Keep g-going... I j-just wasn't expecting this to feel... so overwhelming."  
"Did I go too far?"

She shook her head once again and smiled.

"You don't have to worry about me Cloud... if I don't want you to do something, I won't let you... now please, don't spoil the night." she pleaded.

Her voice had turned into a mad fusion of sultry and desperate, but not enough to convince the soldier that she was being driven solely by her hormones. He nodded and much to her surprise, removed his shirt and his pants, leaving only a pair of jet black boxers.

"It's unfair that you went so far to appeal to me... so this is me trying to even things out." he said.

She leaned up, running her hand across his immensely toned body. He was never a large man, and at times she couldn't help but wonder just how much of a difference the Mako infusion made. To the average person's eye, Cloud Strife would just be a man who takes good care of his body without caring to build muscle... but considering how effective he was with the massive Buster Sword in addition to the insane feats of endurance, such as diving out of a train car with her in his arms or fighting entire platoons of soldiers entirely on his own, she continued to be amazed at how far he came from the little boy she met as a child.

There were no scars... just his slightly pale skin accompanied by rock hard abs and a chiseled torso. To the outside eye, he wasn't particularly impressive... but to Tifa Lockhart?

_"He's perfect the way he is..."_

She leaned up and after several moments of hesitation, she narrowed her shoulders, allowing one of the bra straps to fall down to her arm. She then reached for the hook on her back and dislodged it. Finally, she reached back up for the final strap and lowered it... but as if she realized what she was doing, the same hand immediately shot to her chest, preventing the bra from going any further down. As if sensing her discomfort, Cloud gave her an inquisitive look.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head and suddenly, her heart rate quintupled. She had never gone this far with any man before... and he would be the first one ever to lay eyes on her like this.

"...I guess I'm just nervous..." she replied.

He blinked and shook his head, still somehow managing to retain his calm face before raising his hand to her cheek.

"Why?"  
"...I've never let anyone see me... well..."

He smiled at her and stroked her cheek gently.

"Tifa... I meant everything I said before. You're **beautiful**."

Her eyes widened but her arm refused to move, still scared that the soldier would never be able to look at her again... or that the moment would evaporate as if it were some sort of dream. However, she got her reality check when Cloud kissed her forehead.

"You know how I feel about you. Don't you ever think you're not good enough... because you passed that point a long time ago. I love **you** , and that means _**all**_ of you."

As if those words triggered some sort of switch, her hand dropped down to her side and the bra slid off of her body, revealing her modest bust. She couldn't help but shy away as his eyes scanned every inch of her newly exposed skin, but he again turned her face back to his and gave her an encouraging smile.

"My opinion hasn't changed. If anything... you're even _**more**_ beautiful."

Running through his mind, Cloud recalled everything his friends back in the training program taught him about women.

_**Be as gentle as you can and don't rush her. Give her time to get used to the feelings before you make your next move.** _

_**If you love her and you know she loves you, she'll let you do anything to her... but that doesn't mean you should go crazy like a sex-crazed lunatic.** _

_**Take it nice and slow. You can't go wrong with neck kisses and ghosting her skin with your hands. It drives them insane when you do things like that.** _

_**Use that to make your way down to her legs and once you get those panties off, it's time to truly test your resolve.** _

_**If you like her, you probably won't feel compelled to do this. If you love her however, it'll push her to the edge if you use your mouth and pleasure her. That's nearly as good as the act itself.** _

_**Once she's had that first taste of an orgasm, that's your cue to move in. Always remember that women can take multiple orgasms while us guys can only take one or two. Even with Mako enhancements.** _

_**Take it slow if she's a virgin and don't make a move she's not ready for because no matter what you do, you're gonna hurt her.** _

_**But don't worry about the pain... or do your best not to because love has a way of making you never want to hurt someone. But trust me... it's only temporary.** _

_**After that... just follow your gut. You got a natural instinct for this kind of stuff y'know.** _

_"...Times like this I'm both thankful and regretful of having a wide variety of friends."_

"C-C-Cloud..."

Hearing his name snapped him from his trance, his heart sinking after hearing her voice sound remarkably similar to the tone she had when he had hugged her too tightly on the hill.

"T-T-Tifa? What happened?" he asked.

She looked at him nervously, noticing fear in his eyes.

"Oh... I... I kind of just..."

She narrowed her eyes and bit her lower lip.

"I was wondering if you noticed that... well..."

The fear continued to surge in his eyes until she realized what she had done with her tone. She shook her head vigorously.

"No no no! You didn't h-h-hurt me... you just caused me... to well... you know..."

He then looked down, only to see that the bed sheets were wet around her womanhood.

"I... I couldn't take it anymore... you made me feel so good that I..."

She blushed profusely and sighed softly as she continued to catch her breath.

"I... had an orgasm..." she whispered.

He couldn't believe that he had continued during his thoughts and remembering all of what his friends said... and unknowingly caused her to reach the point of ecstasy. He cursed under his breath and sighed.

"I'm sorry... I was lost in my train of thought and-"  
"W-Why are you apologizing? That... was the most incredible feeling I've ever felt."

She smiled and leaned up, caressing his cheek.

"If you're sorry for putting me on cloud nine... pun intended... then I'm _**never**_ forgiving you."

He laughed softly and kissed her lips.

"...I'm very lucky to have you." he said.

He felt her hands on his stomach as she leaned to his ear.

"...Make love to me..."

Her voice was like velvet silk, so smooth and so encouraging that it genuinely shook the mercenary to his core. As if those words triggered some kind of automated sequence, he lowered her to the bed but shook his head.

"Before that happens... let me do this... only this time I'll be aware of what I'm doing."

He rained butterfly kisses down her body, eliciting moans from her until he reached her panties. He drew them off and tossed them aside, revealing her womanhood. He took a moment to take in the sight of her in all of her glory.

_"She really is the most beautiful woman I've ever met... she's **perfect**."_

He lowered his mouth towards her womanhood, only for Tifa to stop him.

"W-What are you-"  
"Tifa. Trust me... okay? If it feels uncomfortable, you can stop me."

She froze for a moment, her hand remaining on his hair but she pulled away after a few more seconds of hesitating. She gave him an affirmative nod as he closed his eyes and allowed instinct to take over.

"Oh... oh! Oh my... OH!!"

Her moans quickly evolved into soft screams as he began to use his tongue. Her legs immediately locked around his head and her hands grabbed fistfuls of his gravity-defying blonde hair as she struggled to staunch the flow of dopamine rapidly rampaging through her body. It was just as good... no... even better than what he had just done before.

_"And to think that all he did was kiss me and touch me in the right places... and he didn't even seem to be aware of what he was doing..."_

She began to rapidly shake her head, biting her lower lip and tensing her body in a misguided effort to control herself, but the more she tried, the more powerful the pleasure became. After nearly a minute of skillful tongue work, she gazed skyward and let out a cry. Her orgasm was so intense that her body fell lifelessly back to the bed, finally releasing the death grip she had around his head. He leaned away to see the result of his work, and he couldn't help but smile.

_"Guess they knew what they were saying."_

She panted heavily as he gave her some time to recover, but her eyes didn't leave his for even a moment during the minute she took.

"You're... you're really good at this." she panted.  
"Winged it."

She laughed, still trying to catch her breath and once she managed to slow down, she looked at his boxers.

"...Was that all you had planned?"

He hesitated for a moment, but shook his head.

"Only if... you're sure." he replied.  
"I meant what I said before... I'm ready."

He knew she was lying through her teeth, but he relented and removed his boxers. She quickly drew the sheets down to allow him some room to maneuver and they took a few seconds to get comfortable, Cloud keeping himself suspended above her with his arms. She refused to break eye contact, still in disbelief that he was handling the situation almost expertly despite never having done any of it before.

"...There's no going back after this. Are you sure Tifa?"

She responded by wrapping her hands around the back of his head before nodding.

"Just... go slowly..." she whispered.

She encouraged him further by kissing his cheek and he responded in kind, positioning himself carefully before reaching her entrance. He encountered some resistance, but noticed that she didn't even flinch. Instead, she kept eye contact until he finally found his way inside, where she gasped loudly and arched her back upwards. She winced in pain, causing him to shake his head.

"No... I don't want to hurt you... let's just-"

She silenced him immediately with an intense kiss and after breaking away, she shook her head firmly.  
  
"I can take it. It _has_ to hurt the first time... like I said. Just go _slowly_... okay?"

He could only imagine the amount of pain she was in considering the rigorous training she put herself through on a daily basis in martial arts. For her to wince in pain at something like this meant that it **really** hurt. However, he obeyed her wishes, easing himself back inside but more slowly than before. She continued to wince, her grip tightening significantly around his neck. He did his best to ignore the sounds, but almost a minute passed and he felt as if she wouldn't be able to handle it all. He then however, felt something give way... and felt a wetness.

"I... I think you just..." she gasped.

He had done it. He had taken Tifa Lockhart's virginity. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply in content as he turned back to her.

"I did... and I'm sorry it had to hurt so much." he replied.

She shook her head and smiled.

"It's alright... but... it doesn't hurt anymore... so if you're still up for it..."

She didn't have to tell him twice as he immediately kissed her and resheathed himself inside. She moaned down his throat and pulled him down onto her, trying to get as much of him as she could. He continued to thrust, no longer worried that he was causing her pain as she moaned progressively louder. She eventually had to break away in order to get some much needed oxygen, but he simply moved his head to her shoulder as her moans turned to soft screams. Hearing his name in such a sultry cry did nothing but spur him on until finally, he felt himself began to tire along with a pressure building up within him. He lost control of himself and with a final groan, spilled himself inside of her. His hands grabbed fistfuls of the bed sheets and he gritted his teeth in an effort to vent the tension. She too reached yet another orgasm, finally allowing her body to run the routine of slowly down the unimaginable pleasure. He collapsed onto her, but she didn't care at all... she instead embraced him.

"That... that was incredible..." she mused.  
"...I love you Tifa."

She smiled and nodded against his shoulder.

"I love you too Cloud."

He moved to the side before drawing the covers over them both and sighed.

"...I should've been more careful about this... I lost control and-"  
"We're lucky that I'm not ovulating right now. So we picked a good night for this to happen." she explained.

He sighed in relief and shook his head.

"I'm sorry... that doesn't mean that-"  
"Stop explaining yourself silly... I understand. Now... we should get some sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow." she interrupted.

He nodded in agreement as he kissed her one last time before closing his eyes and letting sleep take hold.

**...**

**The Next Morning**

"Mmmm..."

Stirring from her restful slumber, Tifa opened her eyes and let out a lazy yawn.

"Guess it's still early..."

She took a moment to gather her senses and attempted to move, only to feel a comforting warmth behind her. It was only then that she realized that what happened the night before... was very much real. She blushed profusely, but immediately drew herself closer to the man holding her in his arms.

_"I... we... wow... that really happened... didn't it?"_

"Tifa?"

She turned back, her naked form hidden well beneath the sheets as she looked at Cloud's face... to see the most loving eyes she had ever seen. He had clearly woken up some time before she did as he wasn't in the least groggy like she was.

_"Guess it really is a SOLDIER thing..."_

"Are you okay?... I didn't hurt you last night did I?" he asked.

She smiled, blushing and remembering the sheer ecstasy she had reached during the night and shook her head.

"It's supposed to when it's the first time... but I've never been happier. Not to worry." she said as she kissed his forehead.

He nodded, a small smile appearing on his face as he sighed in satisfaction.

"How about you? How are you feeling?"

He gave her another smile and raised a hand to her cheek.

"At ease."


End file.
